After a lot of work trying I don't think it's happening. I'm rolling through toe to heel tacks at this point in my good stance and trying switch a lot but it's not happening.

I think the reason is my prone foil setup is too advanced to figure out that switch stance on but I'm such a snob about a fast loose foil that I'm not willing to handicap the rest of my session to figure out that stance(also don't want to spend the $$$ on another wing and tail)

I am mostly riding with 2 foot straps that are set up in offset position, and not switching feet. With a bigger boards I kind of can ride without straps as well, if super careful, but the confidence level is still really bad.

I did not expect the differences to be that big, I thought it's gonna be easier to learn to ride the other foot forward as well. Because, having the windsurfing background the riding "wrong foot forward" (like in this clip) feels quite natural, but somehow it does not help too much.



One good thing about riding with 2 foot straps that are set up in offset mode is that you can find a perfect setup for your board and foil while not yet knowing too much about wing foiling. I did exactly that in the very beginning. Was adjusting the setup a lot, constantly coming back to the shore and changing something. And as a result my 10th or so wing foiling day looked already like



I'd suggest everybody not to get stuck riding only one way. Currently, the most difficult thing for me seems to be getting going in very low wind when riding wrong foot forward. The difference in wind strength that is needed is just ridiculous.

Was miles easier to not switch (for jibing), until the old knee and hips starts to sore and that's when you realise that switching and riding relaxed both tacks may be better for your joints. Anyway after some practice, it's actually the same performance either leg forward. The switching of foot after jibe part was the difficulty but forced to do it for 'joint health'. Jumps are the same, after a while you can jump either foot forward but in slightly different 'style' somehow.

Interestingly in wave kiting there are top pros who ride waves and do all their tricks ambidextrous and some who do them only in their preferred stance. Both ways of doing it can perform at an elite level and there are riders doing it both ways that are at the top of the sport.

For riding waves winging I can definitely see a lot of people only riding waves in their preferred stance. Riding with the wing flagged out your body is nice and open and free so its easy to ride toeside unrestrained. Personally I do all waveriding and manoeuvres, both wave kiting and winging, in my preferred stance. I have given riding waves switch plenty of tries over the years and can do it ok but it always feels like a weird novelty act to me.

Of course there are a lot of good reasons to ride switch, doing a long tack upwind, needing to get going on your switch side ( getting up foiling toeside is way more difficult), taking the strain off your body from riding too much in one stance, it really improves your light wind game or you might be in a spot or situation where you need to ride switch to get out of it. If your not able to ride switch occasionally for the basic necessities your robbing yourself of an important tool in your arsenal.

Select to expand quote

stanley71 said..
Was miles easier to not switch (for jibing), until the old knee and hips starts to sore and that's when you realise that switching and riding relaxed both tacks may be better for your joints. Anyway after some practice, it's actually the same performance either leg forward. The switching of foot after jibe part was the difficulty but forced to do it for 'joint health'. Jumps are the same, after a while you can jump either foot forward but in slightly different 'style' somehow.

+1
Coming from a windsurfing background I learned winging strapless an with switching my feet regularly.
Then I put straps on my board and stayed more in my surfing stance. After my sessions i often wondered about pain in my front left knee, which i usually only get after running longer distances or working on my knees for a longer time.
After a long session in demanding choppy conditions my front knee is real sore, I feel the pain triggerered when twisting my legs into the switch position.
So for now I decided to go back into my windsurfing routines and to ride switch only on short distances e. g. When riding waves.
Btw. I'm 53 and have problems with my left knee since I was a young man due to too fast growth in my youth.

Select to expand quote

AlexF said..

Then I put straps on my board and stayed more in my surfing stance. After my sessions i often wondered about pain in my front left knee, which i usually only get after running longer distances or working on my knees for a longer time.
After a long session in demanding choppy conditions my front knee is real sore, I feel the pain triggerered when twisting my legs into the switch position.

How do you align the front strap? If you have it at such an angle there should not really be any problems with the front knee, as the toes would basically point towards the nose of the board. If anything I would say the back knee gets a bit more stress while riding switch.

My strap angle ist flatter, but i have my straps loose, so my foot can twist to the nose.
After all I guess in my case it is not the best orthopaedic idea to ride switch for a long distance or session.

For me riding toe side is super awkward and I have terrible balance. only took a few session to get used to riding heel on both sides. but I need to learn how to ride toe side for longer runs because switching feet on foil is not always easy or convenient in choppy situations or short gybes.

2yrs into it, I still don't know how to ride long distance switch in rough conditions& big waves.
I switch feet after every turns, it's second nature.
Wave ride both tacks equally well (or equally badly depending on who's looking ).